Now that you're a proud cat parent, you can't imagine your life without one and you want to do everything possible to help them live long into their senior years. Today, our Dallas vets discuss how often you should bring your cat to a veterinarian for routine checkups and preventive care.
How often should your cat go to the vet for a checkup?
Preventing serious illnesses and detecting health issues early, when they are most treatable, is the absolute best way to help your cat live a long, happy, and healthy life.
When you bring your kitty companion to the vet, you are allowing your veterinarian the opportunity to assess your cat's general health and well-being, check for early signs of developing health problems, and offer recommendations for preventive care products that would be most appropriate for your cat.
Our vets at New Hope Animal Hospital understand the cost of routine checkups and preventive care may be a concern when it comes to budgeting, especially if your four-legged friend seems to be perfectly healthy. However, taking a proactive, preventive approach to looking after your cat or kitten's health may save you from spending cash on more expensive treatments in the futures.
What is a cat checkup?
Taking your cat to the vet for a routine wellness exam can be compared to bringing them to the doctor for a physical checkup. Similar to people, how often your cat should have a physical examination depends on their overall health, age, and lifestyle.
Generally, our vets recommend bringing your healthy adult cat in to see us once per year for an annual wellness exam. However, kittens, senior cats, or cats with underlying health conditions should see us much more often.
How often should kittens see a vet?
If your cat is under one year old, we recommend bringing them into our animal hospital at least once a month. They should have their first veterinary appointment at around eight weeks (or two months) old.
Kittens need multiple rounds of vaccinations during their first year to help protect them from common infectious diseases. The Feline Leukemia vaccine and the FVRCP vaccine guard your cat's health against three highly contagious and life-threatening feline diseases: Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FHV-1), Feline Calicivirus (FCV), and Feline Panleukopenia (FPL).
Your adorable kitten will be provided with their required vaccinations over the course of about 16 weeks. These will go a long way toward keeping them healthy for their whole life. The precise timing of your cat's vaccinations will depend on their location and their overall health.
Our vets recommend having your kitten spayed or neutered when they are between 5 - 6 months in order to prevent a host of diseases and undesirable behaviors as well as unwanted litters of kittens.
How often should middle-aged cats see a vet?
If you have an adult cat that is perfectly healthy and between 1 and 10 years old, we recommend that you bring them in to see us at least once per year. The exams we provide at these routine checkups are meant to make sure that you cat is indeed as healthy as they seem.
Throughout your adult cat's routine exam your vet will implement a head-to-tail examination to look for early signs of diseases or other issues, such as parasites, joint pain, or tooth decay.
Your veterinarian will be able to provide your cat with any required vaccines and booster shots as well as have a conversation with you about your cat's diet and nutritional requirements. We will also recommend appropriate parasite preventive products and treatments.
If your vet detects any signs of an arising health issue they will explain their findings to you and recommend the next steps.
How often should senior cats see a vet?
Cats are typically considered to be senior when they reach 11 years of age.
Since many cat injuries and disease will tend to be more common in older pets, we advise that you bring your feline friend in to see our Dallas vets every 6 months or so. Twice-yearly wellness check-ups for your senior cat will include all of the checks and advice listed above, but with a few additional diagnostic tests to obtain extra insights into your furry friend's overall health.
Some of the diagnostic tests that we recommend for our senior cat patients include blood tests and urinalysis in order to check for the early signs of issues like kidney disease or diabetes.
Senior care for cats also includes a more proactive approach to keeping your feline companion comfortable as age-related issues such as joint pain become more common. If you have a senior cat, ask your vet how often you should bring your pet in for a routine exam.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.
